Dexter Figure Causes Controversey

[LadyZod]

It's a fictional character, are we really having this discussion? It's not like they're making an action figure of Hitler

As an aside...

In The Past Toys did make a Hitler 12 inch figure. I don't believe it sold too well, as I was able to pick one up rather cheap. (He's on a shelf being punched in the face by the Golden Age Superman 12inch and being kicked in the crotch by Captain America while the Hogan's Heroes and Sgt Rock and Easy Co watch.)

[Meule]

As an aside...

In The Past Toys did make a Hitler 12 inch figure. I don't believe it sold too well, as I was able to pick one up rather cheap. (He's on a shelf being punched in the face by the Golden Age Superman 12inch and being kicked in the crotch by Captain America while the Hogan's Heroes and Sgt Rock and Easy Co watch.)

True, there is a Hitler figure. So, he's OK and Dexter isn't? This is nuts.

[spamn]

True, there is a Hitler figure. So, he's OK and Dexter isn't? This is nuts.

To be fair, Hitler was never available at mass market retail, and the figure caused some controversy.

But considering TRU has carried Jason, Michael Myers, Freddy Krueger, and Leatherface, not to mention Devil's Rejects, I think this is manufactured outrage and a BS complaint. Where was this guy and his self-righteousness when all those were on the shelves at TRU?

[huedell]

As an aside...

In The Past Toys did make a Hitler 12 inch figure. I don't believe it sold too well, as I was able to pick one up rather cheap. (He's on a shelf being punched in the face by the Golden Age Superman 12inch and being kicked in the crotch by Captain America while the Hogan's Heroes and Sgt Rock and Easy Co watch.)

You must've loved the theatre scene in INGLORIOUS BASTERDS!

[Sandman9580]

Hmm... I see where the Joker argument is coming from, but in regard to the Dark Knight movie (and toys), Christopher Nolan's whole raison d'etre was creating a very real world version of Batman and Joker. And Heath Ledger was very much the raging, psychotic loon; he was an R-rated character running around in a PG-13 movie. I'm not saying they shouldn't have sold him at TRU, just that--goofy history aside--the current version is a realistically portrayed, violent, knife-wielding psycho.

There's no reason to single Dexter out; I agree with spamn, this sounds like manufactured outrage. Save it for when the Charles Manson bobblehead comes out.

[palitoy]

True, there is a Hitler figure. So, he's OK and Dexter isn't? This is nuts.

He's not OK at Toys R Us because they've never carried one. If they did, wow, get ready for outrage!

Dexter is a fictious character who kills other psychopaths sometimes wearing a dark hood. I do not care for the series myself but my kids wouldn't look twice at his toy nor it would give them nightmares. In fact, I had the thing in my had a couple of months ago, my kids didn't even acknowledge it.

My son has several action figures of a character who kills children, Anakin Skywalker. I don't let my daughter play with Bratz but i don't think they should be banned.

If this goes, then we must lose Edward, Dracula, Jason, Freddy, Leatherface and especially Grand Theft Auto.

[SeattleEd]

Save it for when the Charles Manson bobblehead comes out.

Maybe the bobblehead will be a bonus gift with the remastered boxset of his albums, which is what...3. LOL Complete with poster, stickers and bonus disc of ramblings from the cell, plus the Geraldo Rivera interview. LOL

[saildog]

From the article:

"It sends the wrong message to children who begin to think that serial killers should be idolized and emulated," Kahan said. "I would certainly hope that Toys R Us would come to realize that promoting serial killer action figures is definitely sending the wrong message out to young people."

My list of "sends the wrong message to children" has about 4,857 things ahead of this.

Rest assured that historically, these Harper Valley PTA types have always been exposed for what they are (as they have been in this thread). Initially, they whip people up, but quiet voices of reason make them magically disappear (albeit without retraction...but at least they go away...until the next time).

[EMCE Hammer]

It might be easier for the concerned parents to touch base with their kids and say something like, I dunno, "Remember Timmy, killers bad, OK?" I'd rather educate my kids and give them a chance to pass on their own.

[saildog]

It might be easier for the concerned parents to touch base with their kids and say something like, I dunno, "Remember Timmy, killers bad, OK?" I'd rather educate my kids and give them a chance to pass on their own.

Well, yes...if the kids were their primary concern in these types of objections.

These folks love to set out on a pseudo-crusade. They only do it to draw attention to themselves. They don't even care enough about kids. or have the guts. to take on the real issues that kids face. It is far easier to criticize these figures than to tell parents their kids are fat and incompetent because they as parents are at fault for being permissive and unwilling to be responsible as a parent (and by extension, unwilling to make a child be responsible for their own actions). They are focusing on what they believe to be a minor symptom because lack the guts to say what they really want to. It plays to an already guilt-ridden audience without making their own parental malfeasance the issue. IF they said what they wanted to say, they would alienate their intended audience.

How gutless can you be for pointing this out as a "major concern"?

These figures aren't marketed to kids (unless kids are watching the show in the first place) and objections to the obvious like this would not be necessary had they, or any other yahoo they perceive to be their built-in audience of millions of parents without a voice as theirs, done a moderate job of parenting.

Why would anyone care about these figures unless they watched the show???

I want to be clear, I don't think kids are fat and incompetent to the degree that these folks do. My voice in the above declaration is to point out that they think ALL kids are fat and incompetent (except theirs) and they believe ALL parents are unfit (except them). However, despite this belief, they know better than to voice that opinion so they choose to major in what we all know to be minor issues with the hope of stirring up a force. If they can get a force, they will focus on what they truly believe to be dangerous and most of us will yawn at that, too.

[Hector]

Dexter rules...that's all I'm going to say...

[johnnystorm]

[QUOTE=Captain;608239]When I was a kid there were always stories that Mego wouldnt make a Daredevil figure because it had the word devil in the name. In the early seventies Dodge had to rename their Demon muscle car Dart Sport, due to outrage from the public and the Catholic Church. QUOTE]

And yet we all read comic books about dead children, witches, and demons from Hell and our moms bought them gladly for us (Casper, Wendy, & Hot Stuff)..


I've seen the Dexter figures, they're actually kinda bland, there's more blood on the package advetising than on the figure itself. Basically it's a guy in a t-shirt. Right there on the peg next to Rorschach, Wolfman, Halo, and forty-bazillion thousand wrestlers.

I must say the show is excellent! They should make a figure of Tomb Raider costume Rita (with knee pads) or Debra in her hooker outfit. That would stir 'em up!

[palitoy]

These folks love to set out on a pseudo-crusade. They only do it to draw attention to themselves.

I cannot agree more, notice that the TV piece begins by showing the man's toy collection.

[ctc]

>they whip people up, but quiet voices of reason make them magically disappear

I WISH that was the case, but the reason they disappear is 'cos public attention moves on to the next big thing. If reason was the cause, we wouldn't have these flare-ups every month.

Don C.

[Brazoo]

It's interesting to speculate on these folks psychologically and why other toy villains don't bother them.

Maybe it's because Dexter is a murderer who's not a villain on his show?

Maybe it's because Dexter somehow seems more realistic than those other characters to these folks?

Maybe it's just because news outlets get a hundred complaints a week from random groups of nutters and this was a slow news week.